The Experience of Ron Edwards

A Renaissance Black Man in a White Man's World

A Beacon for Freedom in the City

2003 Blog Entries
September ~ Entries #118 - #162

Blog #162. September 30, 2003: Is learning personal or collectivist,
and measured in student performance or school budget?

It has been the contention of “The Minneapolis Story, Through My Eyes,” that
our Minneapolis story is also the story of inner cities across this country.
In my Chapter 7, on education, kids are referred to as being like baby seals
being clubbed into inferiority and helplessness. Instead we need to teach skills,
optimism, and hope. And I’ve laid out some suggestions for how to do so in Chapter
17 of my book and in the Seven Solutions Solution Paper on this web site.
Society offers a minimum wage. In Chapter 7 of my book I write about society
offering only a minimum education. Indeed, courts in New York City ruled they
were obligated “only to provide a minimally adequate opportunity,” an “opportunity”
that was defined as an eighth grade education. This attitude is in Minneapolis
also, as only 17% of Black males graduate from Minneapolis high schools (p.
120 of my book). What we are finding out is that our city only offers inner
city kids a minimum education. “Beat the odds” schools (see p. 122 of my book)
means they are bad to begin with and that success comes not as a byproduct of
the system but despite it, that they have beaten the odds of not getting a good
education. Here’s the kicker: regarding fourth grade literacy in America, as
noted in my Chapter 7: 63% of African American fourth graders are illiterate,
58% of Hispanic.

It was announced last week that Bill Gates is giving New York City $51 million
to help create smaller high schools. BUT: New York City spent more that $12
billion on its public schools last year, up from $10.6 billion in 2000 and $8
billion in 1997, a 50% increase. AND: the teaching staff today of 90,000 does
what 35,000 did far better 50 years ago for roughly the same number of students.
YET: half of this year’s freshman class in New York City is not expected to
graduate in four years (a number that is unchanged in a decade). So it is not
surprising that 40% of the city’s schools, including most of the middle schools,
don’t meet federal standards. And in Washington D.C., the nation’s capital?
It spends $12,046 per student, highest in the nation, yet only 10% of D.C. fourth
graders and 9% of D.C. eighth graders read at grade level, and only 10% of D.C.
eighth graders can write at grade level and only 6% of D.C. 4th and 8th graders
can perform math at grade level. The U.S. Senate is saying no to a voucher program
offering $7,500 vouchers to let parents have choice to send their kids to private
or parochial schools (see Blog #113 below) that the Senators have for themselves
but deny to the citizens.

It took the Russians decades to realize that collectivized farming was a terrible
idea: Lenin said he would rather everyone in Russia die of hunger than allow
free trade in grain. How many of our kids have to be clubbed before we recognize
that collectivized education is just as bad and that we need free trade in education
too? Or, for Blacks, to “keep them in their place,” is this what is desired
(the racism bit)? Side note: no U.S. Senator sends his or her kids to the D.C.
public schools. Having said that, why, then do U.S. Senators want to keep poor
kids trapped in bad schools? Seattle: some years ago, Seattle hired a non-educator,
a retired general, to clean up its failing school system. He had no academic
credentials. He succeeded. Minneapolis: if, as it has been said, that war is
too important to be left to the military, perhaps education is too important
to be left to educators. As I write in my book, p. 119: “As a school system
goes, so goes a city.” The examples here show that no one, especially educators,
have a monopoly on a solution although education as currently constituted continues
to short change minorities, especially Blacks and Hispanics, with the latest
excuse being its the parents of the kids fault. Thus I write, on p. 119: “The
reality is that only education on one end and jobs on the other end can save
the city, something which is not accepted nor appreciated by either the City
or the schools’ controlling body, the teacher unions, based on how they have
allowed education to go downhill for minorities in the inner city, just as they
have allowed it to go uphill in terms of pay, benefits, and retirement in the
suburbs.”

As I wrote on p. 119 (which is still true, which is why the book is as relevant
today as it was the day it was published): “The struggle for schools to succeed
is not about who is in charge but about loosing poverty’s grip on the wards
where the schools are.”

The polar bears of the suburbs get theirs. The baby seals of the city get clubbed.
We need our school system to be led by leaders who will declare equality of
access and opportunity for all, not just for suburban Whites. Our kids are being
clubbed by those who are supposed to teach them. Why should those who gave us
this apartheid system (see pp. 122-123 of my book) be allowed to be in charge?
Our schools are not the product of bad parents. They are the product of bad
DFL education policies. Even more disgraceful is that the NAACP supports the
status quo. As I conclude my education chapter, p. 126: “will we continue to
lead the nation in showing how to club our Black kids or will we lead the nation
to demonstrate how to give them as good an education as the suburban schools?”

Learning is personal, not collectivist. And history has shown us that money
spent on adult educators and bureaucrats will not make kids learn. So who heads
up education is not as important as what they will be taught and how it will
be taught. The school leader should be someone who will pledge to (1) work for
the Common YESes and against the common NOs as listed on pp. 100-102 and 302-303
of my book, and pledge to (2) give a fair hearing to and discussion of the education
solutions section of my Seven Solution areas listed in the Solution Papers
section of this web site. But before the Superintendent can do that, the Board
must make that commitment first. Wouldn’t you agree? And if not, why not?

Tuesday, September 30, 2003, 7:28 a.m.

Blog #161. September 29, 2003: NAACP: Rescuing the Seals or Joining
in the Clubbing of the Seals?

The PPS Superintendent controversy continues to stir the passions over. As
I wrote yesterday, that’s not really the issue. The issue, as I discuss in my
book, “The Minneapolis Story, Through My Eyes,” Chapter 7, is education in the
Minneapolis Public Schools in terms of how well the kids are educated, in terms
of how many are “at grade level.” Whether White or Black, male or female, liberal
or conservative, DFL or Republican, it hasn’t mattered much who has been Superintendent,
as the results in terms of the kids have been the same: The school system, for
Blacks in the inner city, has been corrupt and racist, as reflected in my chapter
subtitles: “Poor Schools for Poor Kids to Keep them Poor: Clubbing the Cubs
into Inferiority and Helplessness.” And thus I pleaded “Stop the Clubbing and
Teach Skills, Optimism, and Hope.” Now we have a leadership change again. But
what is being debated? Education? No. Performance of kids? No. Reducing the
illiteracy of our kids, where, in America, 63% of Black fourth graders and 58%
of Hispanic 4th graders are illiterate? No, not at all. Debated is political
party, education certification, and color. How can they say any given candidate
is or is not qualified when the evidence suggests that, from the standpoint
of outcomes, none have been qualified (White or Black, male or female, DFL or
Republican) if we judge by outcomes? The issue is not who gets the baton of
the education orchestra, but what music is going to be played. Before we debate
the who we need to debate the what and the how. But I don’t reprimand without
suggesting a solution. I offer solutions in my book (Chapters 7 and 17) and
have expanded on those in my “7 Solutions” piece posted on my web site’s Solution Papers section. Without a discussion of outcomes, the current debate won’t make
a difference. Let’s not put the cart before the horse. When the national NAACP
held its hearing earlier this month to find out why the local NAACP under Rev.
Gallmon kicked me out and banned me from the NAACP, the local branch said much
of it was because of what I wrote in my book. When asked what I wrote Rev. Gallmon
couldn’t answer and had to take a ten minute recess to have aides provide him
with passages, which, when he read them, the audience responded positively,
in agreement with what I wrote. And many of the Black leadership of this town
told its members a year ago not to buy or read my book. This is not leadership.
This is a plantation mentality (some what a Plantation run by Whites, other
by Blacks; take your pick; the process is the same). We need to have an open
and honest discussion of the issues. We need to get away from the who and ask
what and how. We need to stop fearing open dialogue. How can we ask to be listened
when we won’t listen to each other? Is it any wonder we don’t make a difference?
Until such time as we are willing to listen to each other, starting with the
suggestions I’ve laid out, why will “the powers” feel they have to listen to
us? Clearly it won’t make a difference who is Superintendent, as far as Black
kids in the inner city are concerned, as the clubbing will continue as long
as the Black community doesn’t stand up to the clubbing. Again, lets discuss
the issues in my Chapter 7 and in my 7 Solutions paper, for if its going to
be the same ‘ol same ‘ol, we are wasting our time. It has been said that war
is too important to be left to the military. Maybe education is too important
to be left to the educators. Certainly my book outlines in chapter after chapter
that the city is too important to have been left to a single party and it’s
elected, appointed, and hired officials.

On Thursday, September 25, 2003, The Minneapolis City Council passed a bill
authorizing $1.2 million to Bassett Creek Valley, which is the creek behind
OIC and across the street from Hollman/Heritage Park and the site of the next
phase of Hollman/Heritage park. How, given the clean bill of health a month
ago does it now require a clean-up bill of $1.2 million? Or is this intended
for the area of the new Ball Park Village that is to run along Bassett Ceek
just west of the Target Center and their planned 2,000 new homes and neighborhood
shops there?

Sunday, September 28, 2003, 4:22 p.m.

Blog #159. September 28, 2003: Local control of education or just control
of the locals?

Leaders of the African American Community held a press conference Friday to
denounce the appointment of David Jennings as the new Minneapolis School Superintendent.
Once again the focus settles on the concept of “respect” for the adults involved
when in fact the focus should be the respect shown to students. To rally against
this decision on the grounds of the lack of community input and involvement
in the decision misses the mark (especially when the previous Superintendent,
a Black woman, was also hired without a national search and without public input).
There are really only three issues. All the rest is political posturing. The
issues are local control, educational outcomes, and the process for dealing
with the performance or lack thereof. Before we can know who the right person
is we have to have the right process. This process clearly reflects the title
of Chapter 7 of my book: “The Corrupt and Racist Education System.” The announcement
of a search that is cancelled by an announcement done without notice shows not
only the corrupt nature of the process but a disrespect for the Black community
(not the so-called leadership, whatever that is, but the community). Perception
is sometimes more damaging that reality. Whether one agrees or disagrees with
the state requirement of certain academic credentials for the position, that
is still not the issue: the system is. Having said that, the system, which created
rules, owes the community an answer to its questions when it decides not change
the rules. In other words, when did the state receive and authorize the waiver
regarding having academic credentials? Who made the application? Who granted
it? And why?

And we have the Open Meetings Law. The tradition in America is to have schools
responsive to local control. Over the past four decades this has become little
more than a charade as the control has been usurped by the state and federal
governments. To have 70% of the students be of color and yet not involve the
communities of color is an affront that goes beyond the notion of pettyness
on our part as Blacks. It goes to the heart of the plantation system of education
(and the “irony” is not lost on me that these same groups have often gone along
with supporting bad education policy as long as there was something in it for
them or as long as there was a Black in charge. My interest is not the adults
involved but the kids). It reminds me of Senator George McGovern’s asking the
Black leaders at the 1972 national Democratic Party convention to gather to
discuss and provide input as to who should be the Vice Presidential choice.
And while they gathered to discuss it the announcement was made on TV as to
who McGovern had selected. This is not being thin skinned (although it does
provide another example to how easy it is for some to sell out and others to
just be suckered by attention). This is not unfairly or incorrectly playing
the race/racist card. This is recognizing the deliberate and intentional exclusion
of the Black community (they have always gone along before, so why would they
protest now, unless it was because this time there is no payoff for the “leaders”).
Would this happen in the White community? Do not suburban school boards discuss
who will be their superintendent with those who are the majority there, Whites?
The statistics in my book show how poorly the schools have served our children,
whether with Black or White Superintendents. What is at issue is not the credentials
of the new superintendent (the outgoing Black superintendent backed the decision)
but the credibility credentials of the state and city in the process and the
credentials of the school system in teaching our kids how to read and write
and do math at grade level. This entire process smacks of one more attempt to
keep local control out in order to control the locals, typical of apartheid
systems. It used to be a capital offense to teach Blacks how to read and write
or for them to learn. We find it offensive to our kids and our future that the
school system continues to greatly underperform in its mission to teach and
provide learning. That is the key issue. Academic credentials aside, we want
to know the credentials of commitment to reversing the abysmal failure of the
MPS system to teach our young. Let’s face the truth: something is wrong with
the theories that have been used in education given the results we have to day.
These theories have been corrosive and destructive to both our children and
our communities. The notion of “liberation” for young Black children in the
schools is still a dream. Let’s make the dream a reality. So tell us, school
board, how will you turn it around so that the majority of Blacks achieve grade
level, not just the majority of Whites? I asked this in my book. I’m still asking
it.

Snakes are great at making promises and even greater at not keeping them. Mayor
Rybak has some real snake oil to sell last February. He talked about bringing
a Black in at the senior level when all the while he had cut a deal with the
Federation to can Olson and replace him with Lucy Gerold. His selective memory
is such that he never talks about the meetings he had with high ranking Black
officers. And now we see the slithering again as both Lucy Gerold and Sharon
Lubinski are again meeting with Black officers, as they tell them how much they
need their support and work in the community, and that they are the person for
the Chief’s job and there will be something in it for them if they get their
support and win the position.

Sunday, September 28, 2003, 4:22 p.m.

Blog #157. September 28, 2003: The plan for no plan. Hiding behind
the skirts of the “budget crunch” to crunch hiring of Black police officers

Let’s be clear: the city of Minneapolis has no plan to increase Black hiring
in the police department. Indeed, the same ‘ol same ‘ol is to keep the old plantation
plan: hire as few as they can get away with and hope attrition reduces the ranks
“naturally.” There are currently just 46 African Americans in this department,
42 males, 4 females, out of nearly 860. This is another example of how “diversity”
in definition dilutes Black participation and continues the real plan, deferring
the Black dream, as the “minority” hires of significance are women, that is,
White women.

Sunday, September 28, 2003, 4:22 p.m.

Blog #: 156. September 28, 2003The Rhetoric of the RT Rybak Campaign:
Safe Streets a high concern, was merely rhetorical, a flourish for votes and
a signal to Whites that Blacks would be clamped down on.

In the campaign, the rhetoric was about his concern for diversity, more minority
hiring, etc. It was Mayor Rybak’s clever way to criticize what Chief Olson was
or was not doing, which was easy to do as there was plenty of blame to go around.
But he has had nearly two years, now, and yet nothing has changed numbers wise.
Instead, he is falling back on “budget crunch” and to make the governor the
bad guy. But Governor Pawlenty doesn’t run the City of Minneapolis. RT Rybak
and the city council do, and what they have been doing is giving basic lip service
to Black hiring of police, at best.

Sunday, September 28, 2003, 4:22 p.m.

Blog #155. September 28, 2003: Hey Community Grow Man (or is that just
a tambourine you play on?)

Paul Harvey talks about “the rest of the story.” In the same vein, we wonder
why Doug Grow of the Strib no longer writes much about “the rest of the community.”
For instance, when the State troopers descended upon us recently for the first
time in 10 years (see Blog entry #s 74, 81, 87, and 118), they had fewer Blacks
on the force than a decade ago. Why not write about all the money and grand
ideas that combine in all the Homeland Security money. Where is that money going?
Is it going to protect just the Whites? What is the plan for the full community.

Sunday, September 28, 2003, 4:22 p.m.

Blog #154. September 27, 2003: Taking care not to revise the past so
the truth needed for tomorrow doesn’t get tossed out too: It was White actions
that led to the decline of Black neighborhoods, not Black actions. Think four
words: urban renewal and freeways.

At a recent meeting in the Jordan community, Don Sammuels (on Jim Mork’s web
site, http://www.usfamily.net/web/mirth/violence.html)
states that it was the riots of the 60s (by Blacks) that caused the disintegration
of the Black neighborhoods (in other words, they did it to themselves). Don,
sincere in his belief is also sincerely wrong. Don came in 1977, so I’m happy
here to provide historical perspective. One of the few advantages of being older
(and there are few advantages) is that one can comment on events of history
that one lived through that others only discuss from filters of others, the
latter also often not present. Don said that before the 1960s, the neighborhood
capacity was lost by the flight of residents due to the riots. This is patently
false. Not a lie, just false, one of the many urban legends used to blame the
victims. Let’s be clear: the decline in the economic base did not happen because
of the riots of the 60s but because of urban renewal. We must take care not
to revise history to shape our own personal and/or political needs, for then
we won’t be addressing what is. The economic base had already been destroyed
before the riots by urban renewal, starting in the mid-1950s. By 1959, Black
businesses (of which there were many and certainly far more than exist today)
were wiped out by urban renewal/highways. We did NOT destroy our own community.
It was White policy that again helped defer the dream. What was destroyed by
the riots in the 60s were businesses owned by Whites as there basically were
no Black businesses left. So what does Don speak of, his experiences in Jamaica
before he came here in 1977 (or thereabouts) and what reflects his experiences
here? I would be delighted to sit down with him to discuss these things, although,
as mentioned before, I provide a very complete historical picture in my book.

Saturday, September 27, 2003, 2:44 a.m.

Blog #153. September 26, 2003: Call To The Minneapolis Black Churches:
Become Apart Of The Solution Again, And Give Up Being Part Of The Problem. Be
People Of Solution And Resolution To No Longer Defer The Dream So We Can Achieve
The Prize.

People have asked me to explain my emphasis in my book on The Golden Rule with
my comment in a Spokeman-Recorder interview in its issue of 11-6-02, that “I’m
a person of disbelief.”

I see no contradiction. As I stated in the 11-6-02 Spokesman-Recorder interview:

I don’t play games, I don’t go to church. That doesn’t mean I wasn’t raised
in the church; I have great respect for it…But I maintain that you only
pass this way once. And to pass this way and leave nothing and to do nothing,
I think is the greatest insult that you do to yourself as a being and whatever
spirit it is that you reach out to.

Indeed, in the parable of the Good Samaritan, it was the “good people” and
the “priests” that passed by on the other side that were the problem. I would
love to work with the churches. The problem is that they don’t want to work
with me, let alone follow the Golden Rule. I believe the churches would be able,
as they were in a former era, to involve themselves in the life of their communities
to achieve something transformative for people spiritually and community wise,
if they served our people and not their sense of being a part of the local political
establishment in general and the DFL in particular. Loyalty to party is wonderful.
But not when the party is not loyal to them. Even when the establishment fought
us and tried to hold us back in education, jobs, housing, etc., the church,
as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. so ably showed us, was there for us. But where
is it for us today?

Today, too many ministers and their churches have become part of the problem
rather than the solution. Indeed, when my book came out, the Black Ministers
Association/Leadership Forum condemned my book, primarily because of what they
thought it said. From the hearings held by the national NAACP earlier in September
in Minneapolis, we learn that most have never read the book they rail against.
Therefore, I urge them to read the book. As I said a year ago in the 11-6-02
Spokesman-Recorder interview: “One of the things that was insisted upon
was that we had to authenticate everything, so that when people get ready to
be critical or to attack or praise the book, that you can authenticate that
which has taken place.”

I can authenticate. They cannot. So they ban the book without reading it. As
I also said in the 11-6-02 interview:

But the book is also a teaching instrument. Particularly in the latter part
of the book, I talk about solutions and resolutions. Everybody maintains that—and this is one of the criticisms that has emerged far too often for Black
America (and it’s used also as a race card, if you will)—that we bitch and
complain and ‘never got no solutions.’ I’ve seen many. I’ve seen many authors
in this country—Cornell West and others. Men of solution and resolution.”

The book is available to be used, especially by young people, as one of these
solutions. The book is also a resource for getting information that might not
otherwise be available. Any church wishing to buy the book in bulk for a study
group may do so at a special price of $10 each for orders of 20 or more. And
for $25/participant, including the book, Beacon on the Hill Press will hold
6 hour seminars on the book and the solutions in the book, for groups of 20
or more (or less participants but fee for 20 is the minimum, even with less
people). Beacon can be reached through the web site.

Friday, September 26, 2003, 10:36 a.m.

Blog #152. September 25, 2003: The Bill of Rights were signed September
25, 1789, 214 years ago today.

Where would we be without the Constitution’s Bill of Rights? Under the thumb
of the state. Without the Bill of Rights, we’d have few freedoms beyond the
freedom to obey the state. Indeed, sixteen of the fifty-five delegates refused
to sign the Constitution without the Bill of Rights added, including Patrick
Henry and Samuel Adams. Kings can have constitutions. Abuses around he world
are done under Constitutions. Most don’t have a Bill of Rights. The Bill of
Rights limits the powers of the Federal Government. Let us not forget that the
govenment thus exists to serve the people, not the people to serve the government.

Thursday, September 25, 2003, 3:12 a.m.

Blog #151. September 25, 2003: Have the Democrats no Shame?

On September 18, 2003, the Rev. Jesse Jackson campaigned in California, with
Gray Davis, against the recall election and campaigned for California Governor
Gray Davis. After Mr. Jackson introduced the governor, Mr. Davis thanked him
by calling him “the strongest voice on civil rights in my lifetime, with the
possible exception of Dr. King.” Possible? There is doubt? Is this how far the
Democrats have slid from Nellie Stone Johnson? Jesse Jackson never paid the
price in thinking nor in action to be equal to Dr. King. Dr. King dreamed the
dream. Jesse Jackson is one who helps defer the dream. I can appreciate and
understand why Jesse does what he does. But for a White Democratic Governor
to make this claim shows the Democrats have no shame and will pander even more
than Jesse does. Now they want to dilute the dream maker King by equating him
with the dream stealer Jackson (a preacher who “gets his” by extorting money
from corporations and hobnobbing with foreign tyrants). The “possible” is that
he has possibly done more to ruin the image and face of Black Americans than
anyone else by urging our young men to see themselves as victims rather than
victors, as unable rather than able, as unqualified or unqualifyable rather
than qualified and qualifyable. Dr. King left us with a living civil rights
legacy. Jesse Jackson leaves only his own legacy of profligacy. Dr. King dreamed
for all of us. Jesse dreams for himself. Dr. King had Whites believing it was
OK for Blacks to be like them, ambitious and striving to get ahead, whereas
Jesse has Whites yearning for the time when Blacks were passive, seeing, through
Jesse, ambitious Blacks as violent and not to be trusted.

Thursday, September 25, 2003, 3:10 a.m.

Blog #150. September 24, 2003: Minority Police Officers: Another Version
of the Dream Deferred

How many times have we all heard the salesman soften us up by asking us about
our concerns about what we have that we want to replace (is not a new model
almost always sold to us as newer is better?). But experience is not like metal
fatigue. Time may wear a machine down but time is what makes all of us better
at what we do. And yet that siren song of the new, the transformed, the changed,
always draws us. And so too did RT Rybak to the senior Black police officers
when he was a candidate: just talk to me about your concerns about the mayor,
let me know how things could be better. This expressed “concern” got him information,
sincerely expressed, that was then turned into flame throwers that he used to
burn the mayor during the debates. And since he was elected? He won’t give them
the time of day. They can’t get a meeting with them. I don’t know about you
but I know what kind of message that sends the rest of the police force, and
it sends an obvious message to those sitting silenced in the police-community
mediation sessions. Even when passed in the hall and stopped to be reminded
of the attempts to see him, he responds “innocently” about having to check his
schedule and getting right back to them, and then doesn’t. Devious? Cowardly?
Doesn’t care? Take your pick. What do you think it is? How would you interpret
that treatment if it was directed at you? How is it helping city hall/police
relations? How is it helping the mediation between police and community? And
how is it helping relations between Black and White police officers?

Wednesday, September 24, 2003, 2:45 a.m.

Blog #149. September 24, 2003: Police – Community Mediation: Another
Version of the Dream Deferred

Confidentiality now has a new name: stilting. Transparency is lost, communications
are prevented, and the process can drag on seemingly forever, as the high sounding
concept of confidentiality works for the side that doesn’t want to cooperate
or work with the other side, as no information is allowed out to enable everyone
else to follow what is going on. 1st amendment rights have many ways of being
waived. Mediation should not be one of them.

Wednesday, September 24, 2003, 2:46 a.m.

Blog #148. September 17, 2003: Where should police live? In the city
or outside the city? A curious thought. Or maybe not. Maybe there is merit here.
It would certainly provide the ultimate in accountability. Is it place of residency
or place of of priorities of performance results that count?

There is a curious debate going on suggesting that all police officers, and
certainly the chief, should live inside Minneapolis so they would have a stake
in their community and somehow provide better service. Why? Is professionalism
now something proven only by place of residence? By this logic, all teachers
and public school administrators should live in the city. Indeed, they should
live in the neighborhoods of the schools in which they work and their kids should
go to those schools. And, of course, the real powers of Minneapolis, the bureaucrats
who cook up the rules and regulations not thought of by the state legislature
or city council, should also ALL live inside the city where the consequences
of their work unfold. Hey! On second thought, that’s a great idea. Let’s have
ALL city workers live in the city if they are to draw a salary AND lets mandate
that they all must spend the first five years of their retirement also living
in the city. Can you imagine how great the city would become, overnight, if
the services they mandate and execute are the same ones they receive? That would
be the ultimate in accountability, would it not? But then, we’d be a dictatorship.
The real issue is accountability. The frustration at its lack drives the residency
proponents. What they should be driven by is performance accountability, for
in the end, it won’t be the residence that counts but the professional performance
and the results measured against what the policy makers claim will happen if
their policies are followed. When we turn to the Seven
Solution areas in my book and hold our professionals accountable
in them (education, jobs, housing, public safety, safe environment, governing,
ethics), then, and only then, will these be areas of pride for all rather than
pride for some while shame for others. It is not place of residence that counts
but performance and the place in [MISSING TEXT!!!]

Wednesday, September 17, 2003, 2:30 a.m.

MISSING BLOG ENTRIES #147 - #139

Blog #138. September 16, 2003: Community oriented web sites can be
of enormous help to our neighborhoods, in terms of resources, ideas, programs,
ways to set and achieve goals, etc. These resources originated in Philadelphia
and are for America’s neighborhoods nationwide.

These resources should be reviewed to see what applies that could help our
Minneapolis neighborhoods. These resources are the result of the work of Ed
Schwartz and the Institute for the Study of Civic Values that he founded in
1973. He is the pioneer in America in using the Internet for community based
groups. These are their web sites:

http://www.iscv.orgThe Institute for the Study of Civic Values was established in
Philadelphia in 1973 to promote civic idealism—the philosophy of all those
who work to bring citizens and government together to achieve our historic
civic ideals. Our civic-values email list supports a national dialogue on
these principles, as they apply to issues facing America today.

http://www.neighborhoodsonline.netNeighborhoods Online was created in 1995 by the Institute for
the Study of Civic Values and as an online resource center for America’s neighborhood
builders—people who work through grassroots organizations, as volunteers,
and in government to build strong neighborhoods and communities throughout
the country.

Our aim is to provide fast access to information and ideas covering all aspects
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you want to become part of our network, subscribe to the build-com listserv
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From here, you can use the searchable list archives (http://civic.net/wilma/build-com)
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For Tuesday, September 16, 2003, posted 9-15-03, 9:30 p.m.

Blog #137. September 15, 2003: Another example of the city-DFL-national
trough

For those of us concerned about fiscal health, Hollman is merely a symbol of
a bad trend in government that tends to get worse, not better. It no longer
seems to matter who is in charge, the DFL or the GOP, as the results are the
same: bigger trough, more pigs. This is an issue that we, as concerned citizens,
need to unite behind regardless of our party affiliations or leanings. What
messed the Hollman monies up was the expectation of doing trough business as
usual. For instance, in Secretary Russell’s letter that I discuss in my September
10 column, he points out that “in February of this year, Congress, in HUD’s
FY2003 appropriations legislation, Public Law 108-7, enacted a provision that
significantly altered the manner in which Section 8 voucher funds are distributed
to housing authorities.” And the city, so used to its collusion with HUD, essentially
ignored this. I heard a wonderful phase about an attribute that fits the city
and individuals involved in this. It is a phrase from the 19th century literary
critic Matthew Arnold that describes this attribute of the DFL and the local
branch of the NAACP: that they have a “passionate, turbulent, indomitable reaction
against the despotism of fact.” In other words, facts don’t matter, their minds
are already made up. The Russell letter had a cover letter from HUD’s trial
attorney, Harold J. Rentton, who indicates that despite trying to work with
Minneapolis, the Minneapolis response was to ignore HUD (sometimes one party
foolishly does this when the other party comes to power, which is not very smart,
as this has nothing to do with party but with Minneapolis people, and so our
paid government workers, regardless of party, should rise above this). The law
was changed regarding how Section 8 voucher funds are to be distributed to housing
authorities. The new folks have picked up on the fact that the MPHA misrepresented
the amount of dollars they could be set aside by almost $5 million. Misrepresentation
is rarely taken well by anyone, especially when they realize the monies have
been allocated and spent for something obviously not for what it was intended
for. The federal money came, the federal money went, but obviously not to Hollman
as intended. The new party in power in Washington is now following the money
trail of the old party in power. Thus, the Russell letter pointed out that the
city had not been acting “in good faith.”

Monday, September 15, 2003, 12:47 a.m.

Blog #136. September 14, 2003: MPHA’s #2 came from Legal Aid. This
is bureaucratic incest at its best.

So Tom Strike MPHA’s Deputy Director, who was the attorney for the Hollman
project when he was at Legal Aid, has been feeding information to Thompson at
Legal Aid. How cozy. They want us to think the left hand doesn’t know what the
right hand is doing and that these things “sometimes just happen.” Oh please.
The hands know. How? Because they are holding hands. So we get another lesson
in Minneapolis City Government 101. In tougher times, say World War II, these
guys would have been called quislings, collaborators against country (in this
case, the city). But these are easy times. So I won’t call them quislings. I’ll
just call them turncoats, snake oil salesmen who open their coats and try to
sell us fake watches and fake actions, taking our money either way. And to cap
off this shamelessness, Legal Aid is asking to be paid a fee of $300,000 to
help make right what it was involved in making wrong. How does this serve the
city?

Sunday, September 14, 2003, 12:35 a.m.

Blog #135. September 13, 2003: 2nd anniversary of 9-11: Part 3 of 4:
Pausing to Ponder on the Possibilities: American or Un-American: Supporting
Each Other, Not Segregating Each Other

Part III.

Supporting each other in war with many fronts: fighting terrorism, replacing
permanent job loss, meeting the need for education and jobs, ending the continued
deferred of Black dreams. I still hold out for the positive possibilities for
our nation of neighborhoods.

How do we support each other in this era of fighting the war on terrorism and
change in economics as manufacturing joins agriculture in permanent and steady
loss of jobs, as we work to find the replacement for manufacturing just as manufacturing
replaced agriculture? Supporting each other and inviting everyone to the table
is the liberating ideal of The American Way although not always the practice,
as our miserable failure with slavery, Jim Crow, post 1968 Kerner Commission
Report saying Blacks can’t make it on their own, etc. so clearly demonstrate.
But we must not let go of the ideal. It is part of the prize on which we have
set our eyes. We can read more about our American ideal of supporting each other
at http://www.iscv.org/Civic_Idealism/Supporting_One_Another/supporting_one_another.html,
which has statements supporting this, from Alexis de Tocqueville to the Declaration
of Independence and the Preamble to the Constitution, Washington, Jefferson,
Lincoln, FDR, JFK, and Martin Luther King, Jr.). At first they applied to White
males, then White women, then to Black professionals. Now I fight to include
inner city Blacks and other minorities. An excellent resource place is the web
site www.iscv.org (The Institute for the Study of Civic Value), a community
based web site. It helps put the question regarding the war on terrorism into
perspective:

How will the War on Terrorism shape America’s civic values? Already, this
new war has united us in a way that we have not experienced since World War
II. Will this solidarity remain? What forms will it take?
On the other hand, will the War Against Terrorism undermine many of the critical
civic values that we work to preserve? As an example, will the Bush administration’s
new Department of Homeland Security become a 21st Century version of J.Edgar
Hoover’s FBI? There are real risks here—but surely it ought to be possible
to fight a war against terrorism without becoming terrorists ourselves.

Tomorrow I will offer a pair of “pathways”, with web sites, that can be followed
to maintain our civic liberties and security, the American Way, and do so for
We the People, to help us insure that in our war on terrorism we don’t bring
terror to innocent citizens. The leadership, White and Black, can run but they
can’t hide. The spotlight of justice is upon them. When will they join in that
honest discussion of our inner cities and our economy and invite everyone to
the table, not just the professional therapists, planners, and other assorted
program bureucrats serving their retirement accounts while not being held accountable
for denying our access to the table?

Saturday, September 13, 2003, 6:59 a.m.

Blog #134. September 13, 2003: The City still feeds at the Hollman
trough

In my column of September 10, 2003, I discussed the letter from Legal Aid’s
Mr. Thompson. What I didn’t mention in my column is that Mr. Thompson recommended
that $300,000 be set aside as compensation to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
But that fund doesn’t do anything for people of color in this town. It is a
White liberal feel good fund. Thompson mentions “there has been no single person
since the departure of Council President Jackie Cherryhomes with sufficient
stature, authority, and commitment to bring all the parties together to assure
timely completion.” That is an outrageous statement. Timely? When Jackie left
the project was already five years behind (and her taking her city files ensured
the fog of secrecy would continue). Is he saying the Mayor has no stature or
authority or commitment? Is he saying that the city council members don’t have
stature, authority, and commitment? Or is he saying he doesn’t want any non-DFLer
to have stature and authority to back their commitments? This can only be a
direct shot at new CM Natalie Johnson-Lee, whose office files were spirited
away by Jackie Cherryhomes without a word from the Mayor, the city attorney,
or the other then all White council members. The DFL, in its eagerness to get
rid of Green Party candidates is willing to attack the messengers. There was
a saying in the “old West” that “the only good Indian was a dead Indian.” We
now see that the Democrats see the only good minorities are dead Greens or dead
Republicans, politically speaking. They seem to only want equal access for minorities
if they are “good minorities,” i.e., DFL. And that’s one of the reasons they
kicked out DFL co-founder Nellie Stone Johnson. I’m a Nellie Stone Johnson Democrat.
So I’m not surprised by their behavior. And I’m not surprised that the only
advocate for Hollman/Heritage Park as it was meant to be is now the Judge, not
the Mayor, not MPHA, not Legal Aid, not the city council. They have all contributed
to killing the affordable housing dream. How much longer will they be able to
get away with this?

But the trough is not limited to the DFL. Nationally, the GOP has hiked the
number of pigs and expanded the size of the trough by increasing domestic discretionary
spending 20.8 percent (.7% under Clinton) with even more people working directly
and indirectly for the federal government. This is what I call “the debt gamble.”
Certainly airport and other security measures and the War on Terror on part
of this. However the solutions must go, they must include America’s inner city,
they must include allowing everyone at the table.

Saturday, September 13, 2003, 6:58 a.m.

Blog #133. September 12, 2003: 2nd anniversary of 9-11: Part 2 of 4:
Pausing to Ponder on the Possibilities: American or Un-American: Not Giving
Up our Bill of Rights And Become What We Fight.

Part II.

Part I is Blog Entry #131. The second issue is that of Homeland Security and
our Bill of Rights. This is a real national defense political tightrope we must
walk. We now live in a time when their are “sleeper cells” in our midst. This
creates threats to us that if not handled correctly will create threats to our
Bill of Rights. These are hard, agonizing questions. Supporting each other is
he American way/tradition, not searching each other (the un-American way). Hence
the agony and the dilemma. A nation (US) and state (Minnesota) that allows the
power grid to become so decrepit that rural schools and the outer suburbs had
to close for a day earlier this month because of a “brown out” is about local
and wider than local governments that have forgotten its people. We must never
forget that the heart and soul of this country is We the People.

Just because 9-11 washed away the “we’ve got it made” post-cold war era of
1989 – 2001, doesn’t mean that we can wash away what we stand for in a cold
bath of fear. We, as a country, still stand for the best and do so better than
any other. We will endure. We will prevail. But only if we do it together, with
everyone at the table. This is not the time to exchange sacrifice for compassion,
or deferment again for our progress. We can walk and chew gum at the same time.
We can defend our homeland and what makes our home something we sing about as
“this land is our land,” our freedom, our liberty, our Bill of Rights. This
is what matters. It is what gives us the integrity of a democratic society and
a model to emulate to the world. We must be “always vigilant.” But out of good
cause, not paranoia. This means we must be vigilant not to let our civil liberties
collapse under the understandable desire for action nor let our love for our
civil liberties block the authorities from being vigilant with those showing
cause to be investigated.

We owe a debt to our people first while at the same time protecting them against
those who would take the country away. As Nellie Stone Johnson said, “no jobs,
no education, no peace in America.” That has to be our concern. Not just peace
for the country as a whole but for its parts as well, including peace in the
inner citeis. And who could help lead the way in our inner city Black communities?
The NAACP. But will they? More importantly, can they? Not the way they are behaving
today (see “July 21, 2003 NAACP Takes Eye off Prize” Solution Paper on this
web site). The local branch of the NAACP has also taken its eye off the prize
of freedom for all. Indeed, as demonstrated by the local branch of the NAACP
on Saturday the 6th of this month, the White power structure has the Black leadership
whipped into line in this city (as in the country). They no longer stand for
us. When will others join me in having an honest discussion about these issues?
I have laid it out in my book, “The Minneapolis Story, Through My Eyes” and
in the Solution Papers on this web site (“The 7 Solutions”). The leadership,
White and Black, can run but they can’t hide. The spotlight of justice is upon
them. When will they join in that honest discussion? It is one thing to say
to the Justice Department, after 9-11, “don’t let this happen again.” It is
another thing to take our civil liberties away without reason to protect them
and then have the NAACP take them away in our local elections.

We are now at the point where talk won’t cut it. The Justice Department and
the NAACP both have to perform their way to credibility. Insincerity talks.
Credibility walks. We can tell the difference between these by whether or not
everyone is invited to the table. That is my definition. What is yours?

Friday, September 12, 2003, 12:37 a.m.

Blog #132. September 12, 2003: NAACP violates its own articles of incorporation:
so says a federal court

The federal court has had to remind the NAACP that under its own articles of
incorporation, they are a membership organization and consequently the membership
must be the entity that addresses and gives direction on the matter of its actions
with the court. This is causing moneys to be denied to the NAACP. And we are
talking BIG money here.

The $250 million Hollman Project is now in jeopardy. The Dean Carlson statement
that we may not have to worry about a wrecking ball may be mute because, in
light of HUD’s decision, there may not be any completion of Heritage Park. How
does the city respond to that reality?

Friday, September 12, 2003, 12:36 a.m.

Blog #131. September 11, 2003: 2nd anniversary of 9-11: Pausing to
Ponder on the Possibilities: American or Un-American: Part 1 of 4: Not Supporting
Iraq at the Expense of the U.S. but Parallel to the U.S.

Part I.

9-11-01 changed the United States and world (their war protestors this year
represented the majority of their people whereas ours represented a minority
of our people). Certainly there would have been no war without 9-11, when we
were forced to finally give relevance to the mad men tyrannizing their people
and their neighbors and ourselves. But our response is at the expense of our
dream, to once again defer our aspirations. We may debate how and when and where
what we did/are doing in Iraq but there can be no debate about what they did
on 9-11 and what their intention continues to be. But as Paul Harvey says, there
is also “the rest of the story.” The full story is not just that because now
a few men with a few thousand dollars can wreak the havoc of 9-11, we live in
the era of pre-emption, in which this war would be waged regardless of which
party occupied the White House. But the rest of the story is how we got here.
Both political parties have been involved in making Saddam a friend of ours,
even while he was invading Iran, even when he was killing his own people, especially
the Kurds and later the Shiites. That means there are unanswered questions that
make up the rest of the 9-11 story. But the answers to these questions must
be answered within the context of making sure there is a place at the table
for all Americans (see my book, “The Minneapolis Story, Through My Eyes,” pp.
106, 297, 302, 328, and for fun, 271).

The first question is about the spending of billions of dollars to remake Iraq
while our inner cities are allowed to decay or funds spent are on White bureaucrats
and planners managing the decay. We fed and helped Europe rebuild after World
War I and again with the Marshall Plan in World War II. Where is the Marshall
Plan for our inner cities? Where is the GI Bill for education for the service
of those who descend from the service of slaves? Patriotic fervor is fine, and
we all sing “God Bless America” and “America the Beautiful” and “The Battle
Hymn of the Republic.” But where is “We shall overcome” and “Amazing Grace”
and “His Eye Is On The Sparrow?” Saddam and guys like Norreiga and Pinoche and
others were our “friends” at the expense of their people when it suited the
purpose of this country. The $87 billion asked for Monday night is twice what
we are spending on Homeland Security and 50% more that we are spending on education.
We stood by and allowed brutality and genocide in Eastern Europe and Africa,
even as we did in the Middle East. Those are concerns but not my chief concern.
My chief concern is the brutality and violence in the inner city. My concern
is that White America still stands by and ignores the inner city neighborhoods
of Black Americans except when it can use it to create jobs for White therapeutic
and planning professionals.

Let’s use a baseball term: the doubleheader. Let’s address the rest of the
story and have a double header so that we address also the loss of jobs, about
which a report released Monday of this week by the Federal Reserve stated that
the lost jobs won’t come back, “permanent changes in the economy mean new economic
sectors will need to be created to revitalize the labor market.” In 1900, agriculture,
that once employed 80% of Americans, enjoyed productivity increases that eventually
enabled 8% to do more than the 80% did before. Now manufacturing is going through
the same development: more and more products being manufactured with fewer and
fewer laborers. The world’s economy squeezes profits from wages rather that
stopping the over production of existing goods no longer needed in that quantity
and finding new sectors to create jobs in that won’t squeeze workers. I want,
dollar for dollar, the rebuilding of America’s inner cities as well as the American
economy as a whole to parallel the rebuilding of Iraq. Without that emphasis
of funding our ball game over here, I’m not interested in funding their ball
game over there. Tomorow: the second issue: Homeland Security and the Bill of
Rights.

For Parts I-III, see Blog entries #125, #126, #127 Minneapolis now has Somalis
in town. They came here to escape the civil war in Somalia, where Blacks were
killing Blacks, not because they are Black but because they don’t support “the
other side.” The Somalia civil war is cultural (Islam against Christians) and
political (over which tribe or group should control). Since the 17th century,
almost ALL immigrants to this country were running from the prejudices and bigotry
and discrimination and racism of their home land (in the 19th century, the Irish
were considered “a different race,” hence the shop window signs in Boston said
“No Irish Need Apply.” As for the statement that the Somalis “have a belief
system and culture that preclude anti-social behaviors,” well, what can I say?
Somalis are not robots. No group is. There is NO such thing as a culture or
belief system that precludes anti-social behaviors. Why respond to every outlandish
claim? There is work to do. All groups argue against anti-social behaviors (or
at least against the group or sub-group) but that has never stopped any group
or sub-group from doing so. Certainly no parent with teenagers can make the
claim that their culture or belief system precludes their teens from anti-social
behavior.

And lets not dodge the bullet here: Radical Islam (whether by Somalis, Arabs,
Indonesians, Whites, Blacks) want an Islamic world. In every country, including
the U.S., where there are those who are of Radical Islam (as opposed to moderate
Islam), all have stated that they want their new country to become Islamic and
will work for that. But that is another topic for another day. My point here
is to encourage every one to learn of and leave their ignorance so they can
reduce their own bigotry, prejudices, and racism, and end discrimination, and
thus hold everyone, White or Black, native born or immigrant, Christian, Jew,
Muslim or nothing, to live according to the rules and laws of this nation and
follow the basics of upholding the rights outlined in the Constitution and especially
the Bill of Rights, for everyone. That is my goal. Provide it for everyone and
you provide it for your group and your self. This is clear in my book. If people
would read my book rather than act in a knee jerk kind of way to be the messenger
boys and water carriers for the DFL, where the messengers look silly and the
DFL behind the scenes puppeteers go unscathed. When will the messengers learn?
My goal remains the same: a seat at the table for everyone.

Thursday, September 11, 2003, 1:05 p.m.

Blog #129. September 10, 2003: Hey Dean: what was the environmental
and probative value of digging up the Hollman playground? Will you tell us?

Two weeks ago, the entire playground was dug up at Hollman/Heritage Park. Since
then Dean Carlson has written that all is fine environmentally and every other
wise. So I’m puzzled as to how it can be said that all is in order. What did
they find, Dean, when they dug up the playground? What did it tell them about
the black goo? What tests were run on it and what were the results? When will
we get a third party independent testing? What is your assurance that such testing
won’t be “gamed,” which is why there are those calling for testing from a firm
that is out of state? Cementing over goo and gunk (I’ve run the video tape on
my TV show), watering the dust daily, etc., makes inquiring minds wonder. Now
we get the digging up of the entire playground (a sample to test, yes, but all
of it)? What’s missing here?. In Blog entry #116, I discuss the strategy of
choice of this city, “deny, deny, deny.” Honesty is not a strategy, it is a
necessity. Without it there is no credibility. We now have a huge credibility
gap. And thus because either you or the city or McCormack Baron or Braun Intertec
say it is no longer enough. You may be correct. But the credibility gap won’t
let us get there. But given the history of illnesses I discuss in my book before
the current construction project and the most recent reports afterwards, you’ll
forgive me if I don’t trust what you or the city say. For a place that is without
problems, your agency is sure going to great lengths to do different things.
For examples, see my Blog entries #44, #62, #102, #103 and #114 below). So we
want to know: are we getting the truth or a cover up? We know eventually the
truth will out. Will it come from you, the city, McCormack Baron, Braun Intertec
or some other organization or not is the question. We can handle the truth and
can accept the truth, especially if it comes from an independent third party
(preferably from University or out of state) but we won’t accept a cover up,
which, so far, is what all of this activity looks like. The ball is in your
court.

For Part I see Blog entry #??? And for Part II see Blog entry #???Apparently
Eric felt the comparison of Somalis with American Blacks was flagrantly bigoted.
“Bigot” and “bigotry” refer to someone who is “obstinately or intolerantly devoted
to his own opinions and prejudices.” In that sense, both Eric and the writer
he complains about, N.I. Krasnov, demonstrate bigotry. Never forget the wisdom
of the saying “opposite in content is the same process.” Prejudiced, as in preconceived
judgment or opinion? Of course. But so are Eric’s comments about my book. Racist?
Of course not, because Somalis and us are both Black. Culturalist? Of course.
Discriminatory? Ah, now we are getting somewhere. Up till now, free speech was
in play. I support free speech even when I oppose the view. But I don’t support
discrimination, which is about actions, based on bigoted/prejudiced/racist views.
Now let’s cut to the chase: ignorance? Yes, of course, but so too is Eric about
my book. So let’s look at ignorance, which this certainly was: it is nearly
devoid of any historical and anthropological understanding. Ignorance is not
in itself bigoted or racist but it leads to them and alone or together they
lead to discrimination (slavery, apartheid, Jim Crow, etc.). First, the general
charge that I don’t discuss bigotry (prejudice/discrimination/racism too?) shows,
hello, ignorance of my book. I discuss them throughout my book. Let me flip
open my book. On p. 179 I write about racism in city government. Pick your own
page. There it is. So once again I have to ask: why do people comment on my
book without reading it? This takes away any way to have an objective discussion.
The chapter on justice and fairness, Chapter 5, again outlines clearly the existence
of these White attributes in Minneapolis. Interludes 2 and 10 report the reports
of them in the Star Tribune and Mpls.St.Paul Magazine. So these attributes of
bigotry/prejudice/ racism that lead to discrimination, call them what you will
are, per se, not news. Now we even sent Eric a copy of my book. We do hope he
gets a chance to read it and then instead of me or instead of my publisher pointing
out where topics of concern are located, he can help do so too. I look forward
to that.

The University of Mn announces it will build an on-campus stadium. An alum
announces a $35 million matching gift to build that stadium. The Legislature
says it will work up a bill to help. And Red says no stadium no stay. This,
of course is part of “The Plan.” In my book, “The Minneapolis Story, Through
My Eyes,” I subtitle Chapter 15 “Say Goodbye to the Vikings: They Are Leaving.
That is the Plan.” The silence of the Strib until now verifies for me that they
are in on the grand scheme. See my earlier pieces on Blog entries #31, 32, 91,
94, and 100 below. We’re proud of the fact that these entries have apparently
gotten the so-called mainstream media to finally write about it, even as they
continue to hedge and community columns like Doug Grow’s write enraptured about
the wild when there is plenty wild stuff going on in Minneapolis that needs
covered. As I say in my book, Chapter 15, p. 254, “So they have made sure that
the Vikings are leaving. I will show you how they did it. It will be our loss.
But the powers do love the University of Minnesota Gophers, so they will be
the ones to get a new stadium. The Twins will get a renovated Metrodome.” About
Red the Strib reported that “McCombs said he’s inclined to let the courts make
the call if it comes to that.” The lease clearly has an escape clause: a penalty
clause, which requires so many millions paid per year left, which, with 8 years
left is chump change in a deal of this magnitude. The so-called “Rozelle letter”
is merely a gesture.

We still live in a land that respects private property, as we should. The
team is owned by Red. He didn’t sign the lease. An owner, if he pays the penalty,
is free to do what he wants with his own property. The NFL “won’t voluntarily”
allow the team to go is a cop out, as either the court or the owner can do so
and, in this case, both. As he should be able to. And will Red relocate without
a new statium? He said “Without a doubt. Without a doubt,” saying it twice for
emphasis (which he wouldn’t say without having check with his attorneys. Both
Red and the NFL know the Vikings are heading for L.A. The Strib knows this.
As I report in my book, one of their reporters, Jay Weiner, in his book “Stadium
Games” states that the legislative and business leaders want only three teams,
and so one has to go, and that team is the Vikings, which was also said by Henry
Savelkoul, former Metropolitan Sports Facility Commission chairman (p. 259).
The Strib, rather than leading the charge to keep the team, serves as cheerleader
(either by commission or omission) for their leaving.

See Blog entry #125 For Part I. Now, Part II: about the Somalis. While Eric
comments, I have been in the field working with the Somali community on a wide
array of issues and events for five years, including the recent killing of Somali
cab drivers on the streets of Minneapolis. I haven’t seen Eric there. I invite
any and all who are concerned to join us in working with the Somalis. And yes,
people have attempted to drive a wedge between the Somalis and American Blacks.
Three weeks ago we all met together at the Urban League and then shared in a
press conference at the Urban League Family Day, and have continued to work
to maintain a tightness and to heal any wounds that may have opened. Just because
the Star Tribune, the Pioneer Press and the Democratic Party does not report
these events doesn’t mean they aren’t happening. We continue to work together
regardless of the attitudes or slights from the press or the DFL.

I’ve been meeting with the Somalis and the Elders in this town for the last
5 years on differences and am pleased with the progress. These are good people.
The animosity between our groups started over American brothers hitting on the
Somali brothers’ women, which they take as an affront to their culture and their
religion. That is being addressed. And yes there are Somali gangs. But every
group, including Whites, have gangs, especially immigrant groups. That’s the
history (check out the movie “Gangs of New York”). The mainstream of all groups
don’t like the gangs of any color or ethnic group, including gangs of their
own people, and we and the Somalis are no different on that. As noted below,
I have an open invitation to talk to anyone concerned with community. We’d love
to have Eric on board. And as for how to solve all of these problems, I draw
your attention to my Solution Paper, “Seven Problems and their Solutions For
Stopping the Deferment of the Dream in order to Actualize The Dream,” on my
web site, www.TheMinneapolisStory.com, a paper some are already calling a Minneapolis
Agenda for Change.

Tuesday, September 9, 2003, 1:25 a.m.

Blog #125. September 8, 2003: Eric Mitchell wrote: “I guess Ron Edwards
doesn’t have a chapter in his book on old fashioned bigotry.” You’re kidding,
right? Response 1 of 4

PART I

It has been called to my attention that Eric Mitchell, in a post to the Mpls.Forum
Email discussion group of E-Democracy, has asked if there is anything in my
book against bigotry because no comment was made by me regarding the example
used suggesting that as Somali’s were fine upstanding people North side Blacks
could be too. Eric said, about the “godsend” comment regarding the Somalis of
N.I. Krasnov, that Somalis “show Whites that Black people moving into a neighborhood
is not defacto synonymous with crime” because the Somalis “have a culture and
belief system that preclude anti-social behaviors” is “the most overtly bigoted
remarks I’ve seen on here “ and then says “I guess Ron Edwards doesn’t have
a chapter in his book on old fashioned bigotry.”

Well, first of all, I spend my time in the community, not reading the Issues
Forum, as wonderful and useful as it is, and so I appreciate those who draw
my attention to various posts. But I can’t respond to all of them. I appreciate
it when my publisher does to some. But Eric has been so attentive to my book
lately that I did want to pause to respond to this report of his concern. I
hope after he reads my book he calls me and we can sit down and talk about his
concerns. To that end, I had my publisher send him a book. Had he read it he
would not have made that statement. I’ll outline this in my next three commentaries
on Eric’s comments and indicate relevant places in my book that address Eric’s
concern.

Tomorrow, in Part II, I’ll discuss the Somalis. The day after that, in Part
III: a discussion of the concept of ignorance and how it leads to of bigotry,
prejudice, and racism, which in turn lead to discrimination, whether de jure
(legally, as in Jim Crow) or defacto (done anyway, as in the efforts after the
1968 Kerner Commission Report (see Blog entries #99 and #113) said we weren’t
capable of making it on our own. Finally, in Part IV, I’ll discuss the Somalis
again and what this discussion means and what we should do about it.

Monday, September 8, 2003, 4:08 a.m.

Blog #124. September 7, 2003: NAACP still wears its “emperor’s new
clothes.” The NAACP marches naked, thinking it is robed in sheep’s clothing
while we see the naked wolf helping to defer our dream

On my TV show Sunday, September 2nd, I discussed the fact that Tom White, the
attorney for the NAACP thought the newly elected Chair of the Housing Committee,
Alisha Clemens, was a member of the Gallman faction and would “do as she was
told” (how is it that certain Blacks now want to keep us in our place just as
the Whites do?). White wanted her to sign a series of false documents to the
court stating that scattered site housing had already been built when in fact
it had not been. In his conversation he stated matter of factly, demonstrating
how routine this is and how it is felt that it can be done with impunity, that
this was not the first time the local NAACP branch had submitted false information
to the court. But she, like many, is not a puppet. She is within her rights
to file a motion with the court, as she has standing as Chair of the local NAACP
Housing Committee, to ask for a special hearing based on the suggested conduct
and admitted past conduct of the attorney for the NAACP local branch. Clearly
the NAACP has stepped over the felony line with others involved, guilty by either
collusion or conspiracy or both. If I hear about it, one can only wonder who
else has heard about it, which would have to include the court hearing about
it too.

Sunday, September 7, 2003, 2:21 a.m.

Blog #123. September 6, 2003: NAACP hearing today, Saturday, September
6, 2003, has an unintended consequence: it puts the National NAACP “on trial”
as well

The national NAACP are sending their local big guns a three member delegation,
assistant general counsel, regional director of all field operation, and State
Conference President Claudie Washington. But they will first have a series of
meetings with the NAACP national people themselves. They have put the National
NAACP in a spot: to support the branch and become a known participant in the
cover ups of the local branch including felonious acts and malfeasance/misappropriation
of funds if they go along with the local action to ban me, or censure them for
their acts. So the Saturday meeting is not just Ron Edwards on “trial;” so too
is the integrity of the national organization. A year ago, for example, the
branch attempted to appeal Judge Rosenbaum’s decision to allow HUD to no longer
be a party to the Hollman consent decree. The local branch made the appeal without
ever bringing it before the membership and without informing us. The documents
show that the NAACP contested the action and decision of Judge Rosenbaum. Their
appeal was dismissed. This was never shared with the general membership as it
was supposed to be. So the local has put the national on the spot. Now we’ll
find what the national is made of.

Saturday, September 6, 2003, 7:55 a.m.

Blog #122. September 5, 2003: Reality Check from Mother Jones Magazine:
One Worlders? Not Yet. But we community activists will continue to pursue our
ideal. And we in Minneapolis have an AGENDA for change for doing so.

Mother Jones magazine has some interesting things to say about community activists
that I have long maintained, that:

People, and nations, are not altruism machines—never have been, never
will be—and it is about time activists learned to live with this fact
rather than endlessly, generation after generation, trying to ignore it or
wish it away. To say this is in no way to disparage activists. Without them
the world would be even more savage and cruel than it already is. But most
people commit their lives to their families and, at most, can be mobilized
only occasionally in the name of some ideal. They are quite comfortable seeing
themselves as citizens of a specific locality, not as global citizens.

…such founding U.N. documents as the Charter and the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights were nothing more than empty stipulations of collective moral
ambitions. By any objective criterion, the world remained the same tragic
place it had always been, as unredeemed by international law as it had been
by religion, or Marxism, or liberal capitalism.”

Read the full article at http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2003/28/ma_442_01.html.
We learned of the article from the August 25, 2003 blog of http://regionsofmind.blog-city.com

Nonetheless, I pursue the ideal that I outline in Chapter 5 of my book, “The
Minneapolis Story, Through My Eyes,” and the calculus for judging how well we
are doing, the YESes and NOs. Many in Minneapolis pursue the ideal (albeit often
a different ideal, which is why mine includes the “common ground” of the YESes
and NOs). As Mother Jones says, without activists pursuing an ideal, “the world
would be even more savage and cruel than it already is. “ And yet America, in
comparison to the rest of the countries of the world, is the closest to the
ideal of any country in the world, and although the climb remains steep and
long, I remain bullish on Minneapolis (as I state on p. 294 of my book). I still
believe we can write a story that reflects the ideals of all, whether the “all”
are inspired by religion, Marxism, liberal capitalism, international law, or
other frame of reference. And as an activist, I believe there is a solution,
which I have outlined in my recent Solution Paper, which is my agenda for
the future, my agenda for change: “7 Themes, 7 Problems, 7 Solutions: For Solving
the Problems of America’s Inner Cities: IN ORDER TO STOP DEFERRING THE DREAM
AND ACTUALIZE IT.

Friday, September 5, 2003, 3:03 a.m.

Blog #121. September 4, 2003: AN AGENDA FOR CHANGE

The Solution Paper just posted on the 7 Themes/Problems/Solutions For stopping
the deferment of our dream and enabling us to actualize it, is getting very
interesting responses. The “now” crowd says “let’s go” and says they dont’ need
permission to implement it. All they need is to get with like minded individuals,
organizations, and neighborhoods, and use it and the book “The Minneapolis Story,
Through My Eyes” as agenda, goals, and guide. The wait” crowd says “let’s think
about it for we really are not up to or capable of doing it.

Which crowd are you in? Now or wait? Do you follow the unqualified not qualifyable
crowd or are you with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. crowd: those unqualified today
are qualifiable to be qualified tomorrow?

NEW “Solution Paper” on How to Stop Deferring the Dream for our inner city
and to Actualize It.

Click on “Solution Papers” and then click on “7 Problems and Their Solutions.”
I wrote this new “Solution Paper” because of people continually askiing me
to articulate what I think are solutions to the problems facing us in Minneapolis
today. When asked I just sigh. After 40 years of trying orally, I still got
asked. So, to make it known, I resorted to writing my book, “The Minneapolis
Story, Through My Eyes,” complete with solution suggestions. And I still got
asked. So I started my web page with my daily web log. And I still got asked.
But I’m patient. So I’ll try again. My main themes spring from the words of
DFL co-founder, Nellie Stone Johnson: “No education, no jobs, no housing.”

What follows is based on my book and has references to its pages, chapters,
and interludes, as well as to my weekly columns. It is also a kind of agenda,
open to any to use, whether public or private sector, whether volunteer or paid.
Those who outline problems should recommend solutions. That is what the book
did. That is what this new Solution Paper does. As I wrote in my book, “I
am bullish on Minneapolis.” I write not about what is wrong so much as what
can make it better. The dream has been deferred too long for those in the inner
cities. Read carefully, because as you do, you’ll see that deferring it for
Blacks also defers it for Whites.

Tuesday, September 2, 2003, 6:40 p.m.

Blog #118. September 1, 2003: We don’t want state troopers serving
as the new vanguard of the new Black leaders serving the Mastahs under the culture
of honor and not conscience

We understand the effort of RT Rybak and the down town bosses to try to raise
up new Black leaders to do their bidding, given the loss of credibility in the
old group. Lets not repeat the past that we know won’t deliver for the Blacks
of North Minneapolis (although it will deliver for the massas). We know the
game. We explained this colonial/plantation view in our book “The Minneapolis
Story, Through My Eyes” The majority of us stand for the progress made in this
great country and stand for continuing that progress, not reversing it, and
bringing it to this last outpost of plantation mentality: America’s inner city
in general and Minneapolis in particular. Pulling in state troopers is not the
answer (only one state trooper is African American, and he is in Duluth; this
is down from two ten years ago). We are not fooled. They can ignore my book
but they can’t ignore the truth in the book, for that truth will eventually
set us free. If they want progress, the solutions are in the book (which some
of the city council not only refuse to read but have sent back the copiesof
the book sent to them; see #69 below). The NAACP is not on board either (see
web log entry below #89). No matter. We are watching. I state again: we are
not fooled. We will continue to be the watchmen for fairness and justice. We
will continue to urge adoptions of the solutions laid out in my book. We know
Americans can do better, that Minneapolis can do better, than to perpetuate
the old school approach of violating our trust and betraying our people.

Monday, September 1, 2003, 4:05 a.m.

Ron hosts “Black Focus” on Channel 17, MTN-TV, Sundays,
5-6 pm. Formerly head of the Minneapolis Civil Rights Commission and the
Urban League, he continues his “watchdog” role for Minneapolis.
Order his book, hear his voice, read his solution papers, and read his
between columns “web log” at www.TheMinneapolisStory.com.

Permission is granted to reproduce The Minneapolis Story columns, blog entires and solution papers. Please
cite the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder and www.TheMinneapolisStory.com for the columns. Please
cite www.TheMinneapolisStory.com for blog entries and solution papers.